System, method and apparatus for monitoring and billing food preparation equipment and product

• US 20030208419A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
• Inventors: Bunn, Arthur H
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/70 in which the articles are formed in the apparatus from components, blanks, or material constituents
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for monitoring and billing beverage preparation equipment and product. The system includes a controller for monitoring the use of beverage preparation equipment. The beverage preparation equipment or apparatus includes a dilution source and a product source connected to the controller and controllably dispense a dilution component and product component to mix these two components to produce a resultant combination. Information is provided from the dilution source, product source or both to the controller which relates to the dilution material or water, product or both used by the apparatus. The information is provided to a data collection portion, also connected to the controller, which uses the information for billing purposes. The method includes a method of billing, servicing and resuppling of the apparatus and product in relation to the water, product or both used the apparatus. Information may be provided to a supplier to periodically deliver a product to the operator of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A billing method for food dispensing equipment which combines a product component and a dilution component for producing a resultant combination:

providing an operator with the food dispensing equipment;

providing a controllable product source of the food dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing the product component;

providing a controllable dilution source of the food dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing the dilution component;

providing a controller of the food dispensing equipment for controllably operating the product source and the dilution source;

monitoring operation of at least one of the dilution source and the product source;

capturing information from the monitoring of the at least one of the dilution source and the product source relating to at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed; and

billing the operator based on information relating to the use of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed.

2. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of the dilution source for determining usage of the food dispensing equipment;

capturing information relating to the dilution component dispensed by the dilution source; and

billing the operator based on information relating to the dilution component dispensed by the dilution source.

3. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of the product source for determining usage of the food dispensing equipment;

capturing information relating to the quantity of the product component dispensed by the product source; and

billing the operator based on information relating to the quantity of the product component dispensed by the product source.

4. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 2, the method further comprising the step of providing the dilution component in the form of water and billing the operator based on the quantity of water dispensed by the dilution source.

5. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 2, the method further comprising the step of providing at least the product component without specific charge to the operator.

6. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 5, the method further comprising the step of providing the equipment without specific charge to the operator.

7. A billing method for food dispensing equipment as recited in claim 4, the method further comprising the step of transmitting information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed to a data collection portion.

8. A billing method for beverage dispensing equipment:

providing the operator with beverage dispensing equipment which combines a product component and water for producing a resultant drink;

providing a controllable product source of the beverage dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing the product component;

providing a controllable water source of the beverage dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing water to the beverage dispensing equipment;

providing a controller of the beverage dispensing equipment for controllably operating the product source and the water source;

monitoring operation of the water source for determining usage of the beverage dispensing equipment;

capturing information relating to water dispensed by the water source; and

billing the operator for use of the beverage dispensing equipment based on information relating to the water dispensed by the water source.

9. A billing method for beverage dispensing equipment as recited in claim 8, the method further comprising the step of providing the product component in the form of at least one of a liquid concentrate and a powdered concentrate.

10. A billing method for beverage dispensing equipment as recited in claim 8, the method further comprising the step of providing at least the product component without specific charge to the operator.

11. A billing method for beverage dispensing equipment as recited in claim 10, the method further comprising the step of providing the equipment without specific charge to the operator.

12. A system for dispensing food comprising:

food dispensing equipment for combining a product component and a dilution component for producing a resultant combination;

a controllable product source of the food dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing the product component;

a controllable dilution source of the food dispensing equipment for controllably dispensing the dilution component;

a controller of the food dispensing equipment coupled to the product source and the dilution source for controllably operating the product source and the dilution source;

a data collection portion coupled to the controller for receiving information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed from the controller;

the controller monitoring operation of at least one of the dilution source and the product source;

the controller capturing information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed;

the controller transmitting information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed to the data collection portion; and

the data collection portion using the information from the controller for at least one of billing for the equipment and transmitting information to a supplier.

13. A food dispensing apparatus for combining a product component and a dilution component for producing a resultant combination, the food dispensing equipment comprising:

a controllable product source for dispensing the product component;

a controllable dilution source for dispensing the dilution component;

a controller coupled to the product source and the dilution source for controllably operating the product source and the dilution source;

the controller monitoring operation of at least one of the dilution source and the product source for determining usage of the food dispensing apparatus;

the controller capturing information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed; and

the controller transmitting information to a data collection source relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed to a data collection portion.

14. A food dispensing apparatus for combining a product component and a dilution component for producing a resultant combination, the food dispensing apparatus comprising:

product source means for controllably dispensing the product component;

dilution source means for controllably dispensing the dilution component;

control means coupled to the product source and the dilution source for controllably operating the product source means and the dilution source means;

the control means monitoring operation of at least one of the dilution source means and the product source means for determining usage of the food dispensing apparatus;

the control means capturing information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed by the apparatus; and

the control means transmitting information relating to the quantity of the at least one of the dilution component and the product component dispensed to data collection means for collecting and using the information.