AUTOMATED BEVERAGE FORMULATION

• US 20110123688A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Deo, Indrani, Jersey, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,754,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0027 control of the amount of one component, the amount of the other components(s) being dependent on that control
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0032 using flow-rate sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0034 for controlling the amount of each component
• 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: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1234 to determine the total amount
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

Systems and methods for dispensing beverages are provided. In accordance with various embodiments, beverage vendors may maintain the quality associated with a branded beverage while permitting consumers to enjoy the personalized beverages. In one embodiment, a user input may select a beverage formulation. The beverage formulation may be a commercially available branded beverage. A second user input may be received that is configured to modify a concentration of an ingredient of the selected beverage formulation. The ingredient may be a sweetener, such as a sugar. In response to the adjusting the ingredient, a concentration of at least one second ingredient may be automatically adjusted to form a recipe of a modified beverage formulation. In one embodiment, the user input adjusts a natural sugar and, in response, the carbon dioxide concentration is automatically adjusted. In another embodiment, carbon dioxide and another acid may be adjusted.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to execute a method comprising:

receiving a first user input configured to select a beverage formulation having a first ingredient comprising a sweetener;

receiving a second user input configured to modify a concentration of the first sweetener ingredient of the beverage formulation; and

in response to the second user input, automatically adjusting a concentration of at least one second ingredient to form a recipe of a modified beverage formulation.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first sweetener ingredient comprises a natural sugar and the at least one second ingredient comprises carbon dioxide.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the at least one second ingredient further comprises citric acid.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first sweetener ingredient comprises a natural sugar and the at least one second ingredient comprises citric acid.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one second ingredient comprises an artificial sweetener.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the concentration of at least one second ingredient comprises about 0% of the recipe for the beverage formulation and about greater than 0.5% of the recipe for the modified beverage formulation.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the instructions further comprising:

displaying on a display device an indication of the adjusted concentration of at least one second ingredient of the modified beverage formulation.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprising:

receiving a user input from a user providing an input selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a third user input requesting the dispensing of a beverage according to the recipe of the modified beverage formulation, or

(ii) a third user input requesting the dispensing of a beverage according to a recipe of a beverage modified according to the second user input, however, without the automatic adjustment of the at least one second ingredient.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprise:

receiving a fourth user input configured to adjust a concentration of at least one second ingredient of the modified beverage formulation recipe that was automatically adjusted.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprising:

storing the recipe of the modified beverage formulation on a computer-readable medium.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to execute a method comprising:

receiving a first user input configured to modify a concentration of a first ingredient of a beverage formulation recipe;

in response to the first user input, automatically adjusting a concentration of at least one second ingredient to form a modified beverage formulation recipe; and

displaying on a display device an indication of the adjusted concentration of at least one second ingredient of the modified beverage formulation recipe.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprising:

receiving a user input from a user providing an input selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a second user input requesting the dispensing of a beverage according to the modified beverage formulation, or

(ii) a second user input requesting the dispensing of a recipe of a beverage modified according to the second user input, however, without the automatic adjustment of the at least one second ingredient.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprise:

receiving a third user input configured to adjust a concentration of at least one second ingredient of the modified beverage formulation recipe that was automatically adjusted.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first ingredient comprises a natural sugar and the at least one second ingredient comprises carbon dioxide.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one second ingredient further comprises citric acid.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first ingredient comprises a natural sugar and the at least one second ingredient comprises citric acid.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one second ingredient comprises an artificial sweetener.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the concentration of at least one second ingredient comprises about 0% of the recipe for the beverage formulation and about greater than 0.5% of the recipe for the modified beverage formulation.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor in operative communication with a memory storing a plurality of beverage formulation recipes having a caloric sweetener;

one or more user input devices configured to i) receive a first user input that selects a beverage formulation having a caloric sweetener and ii) receive a second user input to modify a concentration of the caloric sweetener of one of the beverage formulation recipes; and

in response to the second user input, automatically adjusting a concentration of at least one second ingredient to form a recipe of a modified beverage formulation.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second ingredient is not a sweetener.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first sweetener ingredient comprises a natural sugar and the at least one second ingredient comprises carbon dioxide.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a display device configured to display a representation of at least a portion of the plurality of beverage formulation recipes to a user.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the display device is further configured to receive an input selected from the group consisting of:

the first user input, the second user input, and combinations thereof.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the display device is further configured to display an indication that at least one ingredient of the beverage formulation recipe selected by a received first user input has been modified.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the modified beverage formulation recipe.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to perform the method of:

initiating dispensing the first ingredient of the beverage through a first conduit;

measuring a plurality of parameters of the first ingredient being dispensed through the first conduit to obtain a result for each parameter; and

based upon the result of at least one measured parameter of the first ingredient, adjusting the amount of the second ingredient to be dispensed into either the first conduit or a second conduit.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, the instructions further comprising:

measuring parameters of the second ingredient as it is dispensed; and

based upon the measured parameters of the second ingredient, adjusting the amount of a third ingredient to be dispensed into either the first conduit or a second conduit

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, the instructions further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first ingredient or the second ingredient is a non-Newtonian fluid, and

for the non-Newtonian fluid, detecting a measurement selected from the group consisting of;

strain stress, strain rate, and combinations thereof as the non-Newtonian fluid is dispensed into a conduit.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the measured parameters of the first ingredient are selected from the group consisting of:

flow rate, viscosity, pressure, pH, temperature, and combinations thereof.