Systems, Methods, And Apparatuses For Energy Management In Vending Machines, Appliances, And Other Store Or Dispense Equipment

• US 20080077275A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Merwarth, Stephen D., Cousins, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/240
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/111 of condenser fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 47/00 Arrangements for preventing or removing deposits or corrosion, not provided for in another subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for energy management in store or dispense equipment for food and/or beverages. Such store or dispense equipment may allow for food and/or beverages to be heated, cooled, or maintained near the ambient temperature, or a combination thereof. The store or dispense equipment may include vending machines, appliances, coolers, dispensers such as food dispensers and beverage dispensers (e.g., fountain drink dispenser), and other like electrical equipment. Demand data may be retrieved from the vending machine, appliance, cooler, dispenser, or other store or dispense equipment. Demand data may include sales, usage, and/or occupancy information for the respective vending machines, appliances, coolers, dispensers, and other store or dispense equipment. This demand data may then analyzed to determine whether there are demand patterns such that there are opportunities for energy conservation or energy management. If there are opportunities for energy conservation or energy management, an instruction set may be prepared, where the instruction set is based at least in part on this analyzed data. The instruction set is loaded onto the vending machine, appliance, or other equipment, which operates in accordance with the instruction set. While the following embodiments of the present invention may be discussed with respect to a vending machine for illustrative purposes, they are equally applicable to appliances, coolers, dispensers, and other store or dispense equipment,

Claims

1. A method for providing energy management functionality for store or dispense equipment. comprising:

retrieving demand data from the store or dispense equipment, wherein the demand data includes usage information associated with the store or dispense equipment;

analyzing the demand data;

preparing an instruction set for the store or dispense equipment, wherein the instruction set is based at least in part on the analyzed demand data; and

loading the instruction set onto the store or dispense equipment, wherein the store or dispense equipment operates, at least in part, according to the instruction set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the demand data includes information associated with products dispensed from the store or dispense equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving demand data includes retrieving sales information provided by a sensor of the store or dispense equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the instruction set includes loading the instruction set onto a retrofit audit device associated with the store or dispense equipment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating instructions by the retrofit audit device and transmitting the instructions to a controller of the store or dispense equipment, wherein the instructions are based at least in part on the loaded instruction set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing the instruction set that specifies one or more user-settable options of the store or dispense equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing the instruction set based at least in part on input from at least one of a merchant-owner, a route supervisor, or a bottler associated with the store or dispense equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving demand data includes retrieving information provided by a motion sensor of the store or dispense equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving demand data includes retrieving demand data directly from a controller of the store or dispense equipment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving demand data includes retrieving the demand data via a network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network includes at least one of a wired network, a wireless network, or a portable device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the instruction set includes loading the instruction set into a controller of the store or dispense equipment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the instruction set includes preparing the instruction set that specifies at least one time period and at least one mode of operation or configuration for at least one component of the store or dispense equipment during the at least one time period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one mode of operation or configuration includes at least one of a normal mode, a standby mode, or a storage mode for at least one component of the store or dispense equipment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one mode of operation or configuration includes at least one temperature for at least one component of the store or dispense equipment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one component of the store or dispense equipment includes one or more of lighting equipment, a refrigeration system component, a controller, or a heating system component of the store or dispense equipment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the store or dispense equipment component includes one or more of a compressor fan or an evaporator fan.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing the instruction set that specifies a plurality of time periods and a plurality of prices for the time periods, wherein at least two prices are associated with at least one product of the store or dispense equipment.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing the instruction set that specifies at least one time period and a mode of operation or configuration for at least one media presentation during the time period.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the media presentation is associated with an advertisement.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the media presentation is an interactive media presentation.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the store or dispense equipment includes a condenser fan and wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing the instruction set that specifics at least one time period and a reverse mode of operation or configuration for the condenser fan for at least one time period.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the store or dispense equipment includes a condenser fan and a compressor, wherein preparing an instruction set includes preparing an instruction set for at least one of the condenser fan or the compressor, and wherein a reverse mode of operation for the condenser fan is independent of an operation of the compressor.

24. A system for providing energy management for store or dispense equipment. comprising:

at least one store or dispense equipment, wherein the store or dispense equipment stores demand data for products provided by the store or dispense equipment; and

a processing center, wherein the processing center is operative to;

analyze the stored data to identify time periods for energy conservation; and

generate an instruction set for the at least one store or dispense equipment based at least in part on the identified time periods for energy conservation.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a communication module of the store or dispense equipment, wherein the communication module transmits the demand data to the processing center over a network and wherein the communication module receives the instruction set from the processing center over the network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the network includes at least one of a wired network, a wireless network, or a portable device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the portable device retrieves the stored data from the store or dispense equipment and communicates the stored data to the processing center.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the instruction set specifies at least one time period and at least one mode of operation or configuration for at least one component of the store or dispense equipment during the time period.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one component includes at least one of lighting equipment, a refrigeration system component, vending machine controller, or a heating system component.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the instruction set specifies a plurality of time periods and a plurality of prices for the time periods, wherein at least two prices are associated with at least one product of the store or dispense equipment.

31. The system of claim 24, further comprising an override switch or manual mode for the store or dispense equipment, wherein the override switch or manual mode supersedes one or more specifications of the instruction set.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the instruction set specifies one or more user-settable options of the store or dispense equipment.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the instruction set specifies at least one time period and a mode of operation or configuration for at least one media presentation during the time period.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the media presentation is associated with an advertisement.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the media presentation is an interactive media presentation.

36. An apparatus configurable for energy management, comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor executes control instructions for controlling operations of one or more electrical components of an appliance;

a first memory in communication with the processor for storing demand data associated with the appliance;

a first communication module for transmitting the demand data to a processing center;

a second communication module for receiving an instruction set based at least in part on the transmitted demand data;

a second memory in communication with the processor for storing the received instruction set; and

an energy management agent module operative with the instruction set to provide control instructions to the processor for execution.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the appliance includes at least one of a vending machine, a dispenser, a merchandiser, an oven, or a refrigerator.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the instruction set specifies one or more user-settable options of the vending machine.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the instruction set specifies a plurality of time periods and a plurality of prices for the time periods, wherein at least two prices are associated with at least one product of the vending machine.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the one or more electrical components includes one or more of lighting equipment, refrigeration equipment, or heating equipment.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the instruction set specifies at least one time period and at least one mode of operation or configuration for at least one component of the appliance.

42. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the instruction set specifies at least one time period and a mode of operation or configuration for at least one media presentation during the time period.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the media presentation is associated with an advertisement.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the media presentation is an interactive media presentation.

45. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the first communication module and the second communication module are provided by a single module.