Coffee brewer and a corresponding network-based method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A coffee brewing apparatus that comprises:
- a coffee brewer for brewing coffee beverages;
a sensor configured and arranged to sense food components as used by the coffee brewer;
an external network interface configured and arranged to facilitate interfacing with a remote resource;
an end user interface; and
a processor operably coupled to the sensor, the external network interface, and the end user interface and being configured and arranged to independently use information regarding food components used by the coffee brewer to facilitate obtaining responsive information from the remote resource and presenting the responsive information to an end user via the end user interface,the end user interface configured to receive a response from the end user regarding the responsive information from the remote resource;
the processor configured to cause the external network interface to communicate the response of the end user to the remote resource;
wherein the end user interface includes an active display;
the processor and the end user interface being configured to present the responsive information to the end user via the end user interface including presenting via the active display at least one of textual content and graphic content that corresponds to the responsive information; and
the end user interface being capable of facilitating direct end user exchanges with a customer service resource.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coffee brewing apparatus comprises a corresponding coffee brewer as well as a sensor that is configured and arranged to sense food components as used by that means for brewing coffee beverages. This coffee brewing apparatus then further comprises an external network interface that is configured and arranged to facilitate interfacing with a remote resource (or resources). The coffee brewing apparatus can further comprise an end user interface and a processor that is operably coupled to the sensor, the external network interface, and the end user interface and that is configured and arranged to independently use information regarding food components as are used by the means for brewing coffee beverages to facilitate obtaining corresponding responsive information from the remote resource and to then present that information to an end user via the end user interface.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A coffee brewing apparatus that comprises:
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a coffee brewer for brewing coffee beverages; a sensor configured and arranged to sense food components as used by the coffee brewer; an external network interface configured and arranged to facilitate interfacing with a remote resource; an end user interface; and a processor operably coupled to the sensor, the external network interface, and the end user interface and being configured and arranged to independently use information regarding food components used by the coffee brewer to facilitate obtaining responsive information from the remote resource and presenting the responsive information to an end user via the end user interface, the end user interface configured to receive a response from the end user regarding the responsive information from the remote resource; the processor configured to cause the external network interface to communicate the response of the end user to the remote resource; wherein the end user interface includes an active display; the processor and the end user interface being configured to present the responsive information to the end user via the end user interface including presenting via the active display at least one of textual content and graphic content that corresponds to the responsive information; and the end user interface being capable of facilitating direct end user exchanges with a customer service resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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at a coffee brewing apparatus; detecting food components as are used by the coffee brewing apparatus; wherein the method further comprises; at the coffee brewing apparatus; using a native external network interface to independently contact a remote resource and provide information to the remote resource regarding the food components as are used by the coffee brewing apparatus; receiving from the remote resource, via the native external network interface, responsive information that is responsive to the information regarding the food components provided to the remote resource; using a native end user interface to present the responsive information to an end user of the coffee brewing apparatus; receiving a response from the end user regarding the responsive information via the native end user interface; communicating the response from the end user to the remote resource via the native external network interface; wherein presenting the responsive information to the end user of the coffee brewing apparatus includes presenting at least one of textual content and graphic content that corresponds to the responsive information to the end user via an active display of the native end user interface; and the native end user interface being capable of facilitating direct end user exchanges with a customer service resource. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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receiving from a coffee brewing apparatus via a modem that is native to the coffee brewing apparatus information regarding a food component as has been used by the coffee brewing apparatus; using the information regarding the food component to develop corresponding responsive information; transmitting the corresponding responsive information directly to the coffee brewing apparatus via the modem that is native to the coffee brewing apparatus, the responsive information causing an active display of an end user interface of the coffee brewing apparatus to display at least one of textual content and graphic content that corresponds to the responsive information; receiving from the coffee brewing apparatus, via the modem that is native to the coffee brewing apparatus, a user response to the corresponding responsive information; and the end user interface of the coffee brewing apparatus being capable of facilitating direct end user exchanges with a customer service resource.
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18. A coffee brewing apparatus that comprises:
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a coffee brewer; a sensor configured and arranged to sense food components as used by the coffee brewer; an external network interface configured and arranged to facilitate interfacing with a remote resource; an end user interface; a processor operably coupled to the sensor, the external network interface, and the end user interface; wherein the processor is configured and arranged to independently use information regarding the sensed food components to obtain responsive information from the remote resource; the sensor senses the presence, or information provided on, a coffee pod containing said food components and the processor is configured to present the responsive information to an end user via the end user interface; the end user interface configured to receive a response from the end user regarding the responsive information from the remote resource; the processor configured to cause the external network interface to communicate the response of the end user to the remote resource; wherein the end user interface includes an active display; the processor and the end user interface being configured to present the responsive information to the end user via the end user interface including presenting via the active display at least one of textual content and graphic content that corresponds to the responsive information; and the end user interface being capable of facilitating direct end user exchanges with a customer service resource. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification