System and method for distributing drink supply containers

• US 20040217124A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/25
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0006 responsive to coded information provided on the neck or spout of the storage container, e.g. bar-code, magnets or transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A beverage distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing drinks such as soda, juice and punch, to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which enables users to dispense such drinks from their refrigerator. The computerized system monitors its own supply levels and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers drink syrups and CO₂ gas supplies. The computerized system can automatically detect dispensing problems and orders and arranges for repair service.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers to a plurality of users of a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators including:

(a) a housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(b) a drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, the drink supply apparatus configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, and the drink syrup in each of the drink supply containers can have a different flavor;

(c) a water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one water communication line which supplies water;

(d) a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus configured to hold at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of carbon dioxide gas;

(e) a beverage dispensing apparatus operable to dispense a plurality of servings of beverages from;

(i) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(ii) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(f) a display device supported by the housing;

(g) at least one input device supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide a plurality of inputs;

(h) a processor in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(i) a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to produce orders for quantities of drink supply containers filled with drink syrup, wherein the processors of each of the refrigerators establish communication with an order processing system through a network;

said method comprising;

receiving at the order processing system said orders for filled drink supply containers transmitted by the processors of the refrigerators; and

processing each of the orders, said processing including for each of the orders;

(a) selecting one of a plurality of drink syrup distribution systems to receive the processed order, each of the distribution systems having a processor in communication with the order processing system;

(b) transmitting the processed order to the selected drink syrup distribution system; and

(c) causing delivery of the quantity of the filled drink supply containers of the order to an address associated with one of the refrigerators, said refrigerator having the processor that produced the order for the filled drink supply containers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, transmitting one of the orders to the order processing system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes enabling each of the users to cause one of the orders to be transmitted to the order processing system using the input device.

5. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers to a plurality of users of, a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators including:

(a) a housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(b) a drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, the drink supply apparatus configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, and the drink syrup in each of the drink supply containers can have a different flavor;

(c) a water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one water communication line which supplies water;

(d) a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus including at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of carbon dioxide gas;

(e) a beverage dispensing apparatus supported by the housing and operable to dispense a plurality of servings of beverages from;

(i) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(ii) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(f) a display device supported by the housing;

(g) at least one input device supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide a plurality of inputs;

(h) a processor in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(i) a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to produce;

(i) drink syrup orders for quantities of drink supply containers filled with drink syrup; and

(ii) gas orders for quantities of gas supply containers filled with carbon dioxide gas, wherein the processors of each of the refrigerators establish communication with an order processing system through a network;

said method comprising;

receiving at the order processing system the drink syrup orders and the gas orders from the processors; and

processing each of the drink syrup orders and each of the gas orders, wherein said processing includes for each of the drink syrup orders and each of the gas orders;

(a) selecting one of a plurality of distribution systems to receive said order, each of the distribution systems having a processor in communication with the order processing system over a network;

(b) transmitting said processed order to the selected distribution system; and

(c) causing delivery of any quantity of the drink supply containers and the gas supply containers of said order to an address associated with one of the refrigerators, said refrigerator having the processor that produced said order.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes, for each of the processors of the refrigerators, communicating at least one the drink syrup orders and at least one of the gas orders from said processor to the order processing system through a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

7. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, transmitting one of the drink syrup orders to the order processing system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, transmitting one of the gas orders to the order processing system when the volume of carbon dioxide gas in the gas supply container will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the user of each of the refrigerators, enabling said user users to cause at least one of the drink syrup orders to be transmitted to the order processing system using the input device.

10. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the user of each of the refrigerators, enabling said user to cause at least one of the gas orders to be transmitted to the order processing system using the input device.

11. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers to a plurality of users of a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators including:

(a) a housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(b) a drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, the drink supply apparatus configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, the drink syrup in each of the drink supply container can have a different flavor;

(c) a water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one water communication line which supplies water;

(d) a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus configured to hold at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of carbon dioxide gas;

(e) a beverage dispensing apparatus supported by the housing and operable to dispense a plurality of servings of beverages from;

(i) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(ii) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(f) a display device supported by the housing;

(g) at least one input device supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide a plurality of inputs;

(h) a processor in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(i) a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to produce;

(i) drink syrup orders for quantities of drink supply containers filled with drink syrup; and

(ii) gas orders for quantities of gas supply containers filled with carbon dioxide gas, wherein the processors of each of the refrigerators establish communication with an order processing system through a network, said method comprising;

receiving at the order processing system transmitted drink syrup orders and the gas supply orders from the processors; and

processing each of the drink syrup orders and each of the gas orders, said processing including for each of the drink syrup orders;

(a) selecting one of a plurality of drink syrup distribution systems to receive the processed order, each of the drink syrup distribution systems having a processor in communication with the order processing system over a network;

(b) transmitting the processed drink syrup order to the selected drink syrup distribution system; and

(c) causing delivery of the quantity of the drink supply containers associated with the drink syrup order to an address associated with one of the refrigerators, said refrigerator having the processor that produced the drink syrup order; and

for each of the gas supply orders;

(a) selecting one of a plurality of gas distribution systems to receive the processed order, each of the gas distribution systems having a processor in communication with the order processing system over a network;

(b) transmitting the processed gas supply order to the selected gas distribution system; and

(c) causing the delivery of the quantity of the gas supply containers associated with the gas supply order to an address associated with one of the refrigerators, said refrigerator having the processor that produced the gas supply order.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, communicating at least one the drink syrup orders and at least one of the gas supply orders from said processor to the order processing system through a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, transmitting one of the drink syrup orders to the order processing system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, transmitting one of the gas supply orders to the order processing system when the volume of carbon dioxide gas in the gas supply container will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.