System and method for creating a personalized consumer product

• US 20080004973A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rothschild Connected Devices Innovations, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Rothschild Trust Holdings LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof

Abstract

A system and method for creating a personalized consumer product are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure enables a user, e.g., a consumer, to customize products containing solids and/or fluids by allowing a server communicating over the global computer network, e.g., the Internet, to provide product preferences of a user to a product or a mixing device, e.g., a product or beverage dispenser. The method for creating a product according to a user'"'"'s preferences over a network includes the steps identifying a product to a server over the network; identifying a user to the server over the network; retrieving the user'"'"'s product preferences from a database at the server based on the product'"'"'s identity and user'"'"'s identity; transmitting the user'"'"'s product preferences to the product over the network; and mixing at least one element contained within the product based on the user'"'"'s product preferences.

Claims

1. A method for creating a product according to a user'"'"'s preferences over a network, the method comprising the steps:

identifying a product to a server over the network;

identifying a user to the server over the network;

retrieving the user'"'"'s product preferences from a database at the server based on the product'"'"'s identity and user'"'"'s identity;

transmitting the user'"'"'s product preferences to the product over the network; and

mixing at least one element contained within the product based on the user'"'"'s product preferences.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifying a product step includes reading a barcode from the product.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifying a product step includes manually entering a product code from a computer, the computer being coupled to the network.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the product includes a wireless communication module, the method further comprising receiving the product identity wirelessly from the product.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifying a user step includes receiving an Internet cookie from a computer of the user.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step prompting the user with questions to determine the user'"'"'s product preferences.

7. The method as in claim 6, further comprising issuing an identity code for the user and cross-referencing the identity code to the user'"'"'s product preferences.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the product includes

at least one compartment containing the at least one element of the product;

at least one valve coupling the at least one compartment to a mixing chamber for mixing a final product;

a controller configured to actuate the at least one valve and to control an amount of the at least one element to enter the mixing chamber; and

a communication module configured to receive the product preferences of the user and transmit the product preferences to the controller for controlling the at least one valve.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one element is a fluid, a solid or any combination thereof.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the transmitted product preferences is a formulation including a predetermined amount of the at least one element.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising the step:

prompting the user with at least one question relating to the product; and

determining the formulation based on at least one response of the user.

12. The method as in claim 11, further comprising issuing an identity code for the user and cross-referencing the identity code to the formulation.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step storing the identity code and cross-referenced formulation in the database at the server.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein the identifying a user step includes transmitting the identity code to the server.

15. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step storing the identity code as an Internet cookie on a local computer of the user.

16. The product as in claim 15, further comprising a mixing device disposed in the mixing chamber configured to mix the at least one element.

17. The product as in claim 15, wherein the at least one element is a fluid, a solid or any combination thereof.

18. The product as in claim 15, wherein the at least one valve is a MEMS microvalve.

19. The product as in claim 15, wherein the at least one valve and the controller are disposed on a single integrated circuit chip.

20. The product as in claim 15, wherein the communication module is configured to receive the product preferences of the user via voice recognition.

21. The product as in claim 15, wherein the communication module is configured to receive the product preferences of the user via hardwired or wireless communications from a server over a network.

22. The product as in claim 21, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit an identifier of the product to the server.

23. The product as in claim 21, wherein the received product preferences is a formulation including a predetermined amount of at least one element.

24. The product as in claim 23, wherein the formulation is cross-referenced to a user identity code and stored in a database at the server.

25. The product as in claim 24, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the user identity code with the identifier of the product to the server.

15-1. A product to be consumed by a user comprising:

at least one compartment containing an element of the product;

at least one valve coupling the at least one compartment to a mixing chamber for mixing a final product;

a controller configured to actuate the at least one valve and to control an amount of the element to enter the mixing chamber;

a communication module configured to receive product preferences of the user and transmit the product preferences to the controller for controlling the at least one valve; and

an exit port for dispensing the final product.

26. A system for creating a product according to a user'"'"'s preferences comprising:

a remote server including a database storing a product preference for at least one user;

a terminal configured for transmitting an identity of at least one product and an identity of the at least one user to the remote server and for receiving the product preference of the at least one user from the server; and

a communications network for coupling the remote server and the terminal;

wherein the remote server is configured to receive the identity of the at least one product and the identity of the least one user, retrieve the product preference from the database based on the identity of the at least one product and the identity of the least one user and transmit the product preference to the terminal.

27. The system as in claim 26, wherein the terminal includes a first communication module for transmitting the product preference to the product whereby elements of the product are mixed.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein the product comprises:

at least one compartment containing an element of the product;

at least one valve coupling the at least one compartment to a mixing chamber for mixing a final product;

a controller configured to actuate the at least one valve and to control an amount of the element to enter the mixing chamber;

a second communication module configured to receive product preferences of the user and transmit the product preferences to the controller for controlling the at least one valve; and

an exit port for dispensing the final product.

29. The system as in claim 28, wherein the product further comprises a mixing device disposed in the mixing chamber configured to mix the at least one element.

30. The system as in claim 28, wherein the at least one element is a fluid, a solid or any combination thereof.

31. The system as in claim 28, wherein the transmitted product preference is a formulation including a predetermined amount of the at least one element.

32. The system as in claim 31, wherein the server is configured to communicate at least one question to the terminal for prompting the user with the at least one question relating to the product and the server is further configured for determining the formulation based on at least one response of the user.

33. The system as in claim 32, wherein the server is further configured for issuing an identity code for the user and cross-referencing the identity code to the formulation.

34. The system as in claim 33, wherein the server is configured for storing the identity code and cross-referenced formulation in the database.

35. The system as in claim 34, wherein the terminal is configured to transmit the identity code to the server.

36. The system as in claim 35, wherein the identity code is stored as an Internet cookie on the terminal.

37. A beverage dispenser comprising:

at least one compartment containing an element of a beverage;

at least one valve coupling the at least one compartment to a dispensing section configured to dispense the beverage;

a controller configured to actuate the at least one valve and to control an amount of the element to be dispensed based on a product preference of the user.

38. The beverage dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a user interface module for configured to receive the product preferences of the user.

39. The beverage dispenser of claim 37, further comprising

a database for storing product preferences of a plurality of users;

and

a user interface module for configured to receive an identity of the user, wherein the product preference for at least one user is retrieved from the database based on the user'"'"'s identity and transmitted to the controller.

40. The beverage dispenser of claim 39, wherein the user interface module further comprises a voice recognition module for receiving the identity of the user.

41. The beverage dispenser of claim 39, wherein the user interface module further comprises a wireless communication device for receiving the identity of the user.

42. The beverage dispenser of claim 39, wherein the user interface module further comprises a card reader for receiving the identity of the user.

43. The beverage dispenser of claim 39, wherein the user interface module further comprises a display for displaying the product preferences to the user, wherein the user interface module is further configured to receive confirmation of the product preference from the user.

44. The beverage dispenser of claim 37, further comprising:

a user interface module for configured to receive an identity of the user; and

a communication module configured to transmit the identity of the user to a server over a network and to receive product preferences of the user based on the identity of the user from the server.

45. The beverage dispenser of claim 44, wherein the user interface module further comprises a voice recognition module for receiving the identity of the user.

46. The beverage dispenser of claim 44, wherein the user interface module further comprises a wireless communication device for receiving the identity of the user.

47. The beverage dispenser of claim 44, wherein the user interface module further comprises a card reader for receiving the identity of the user.

48. The beverage dispenser of claim 44, wherein the user interface module further comprises a display for displaying the product preferences to the user, wherein the user interface module is further configured to receive confirmation of the product preference from the user.

49. The beverage dispenser of claim 48, wherein the user interface module is configured to receive product preferences from the user and the communication module is configured to transmit the product preferences to the server.

50. The beverage dispenser as in claim 37, wherein the product preference is a formulation including a predetermined amount of at least one element.

51. The beverage dispenser as in claim 50, further comprising:

a user interface configured for prompting the user with at least one question relating to the beverage;

a communication module configured to transmit a response of the user to the at least one question to a server, wherein the server is configured for determining the formulation based on at least one response of the user and transmitting the formulation to the communication module.

52. The beverage dispenser as in claim 51, wherein the server is configured to issue an identity code for the user, cross-reference the identity code to the formulation and store the identity code and cross-referenced formulation in the database at the server.

53. The beverage dispenser as in claim 52, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the identity code to the server.