BEVERAGE DISPENSING CONTROL

• US 20110298583A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Table Tap, LLC
• Original Assignee: Table Tap, LLC
• Inventors: Libby, Jeffrey Isaac, Portman, Jeffrey Lin Jr., Adams, Andrew Hill, Paulk, Howard Lott
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.28
• 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: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for control of beverage dispensing. In one aspect, authorization data specifying that a beverage dispensing node is authorized to be activated are received. Activation data that request activation of the node are also received, where activation of the node causes a valve that controls flow of fluid to a beverage dispenser to be opened. A determination is made that the activation data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, where an enabled user is a user that has been enabled to activate the node. In response to receipt of the authorization data and the activation data a valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser is opened. Data (e.g., de-authorization or de-activation data) specifying that an activated beverage dispensing apparatus be de-activated can also be received. In response to receipt of the data, the valve can be closed.

Claims

1. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving authorization data specifying that a beverage dispensing node is authorized to be activated;

receiving activation data that requests activation of the node, wherein activation of the node causes a valve that controls flow of fluid to a beverage dispenser to be opened;

determining that the activation data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, the enabled user being a user that has been enabled to activate the node; and

in response to receipt of the authorization data and the activation data, opening a valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data specifying that an activated beverage dispensing apparatus be de-activated;

determining that the received data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, the enabled user being a user that has been enabled to de-activate the beverage dispensing apparatus; and

in response to receipt of the data, closing a valve that controls flow of fluid through the beverage dispensing apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving data comprises receiving de-authorization data specifying that the beverage dispensing apparatus is no longer authorized to be activated.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving data comprises receiving de-activation data specifying that the beverage dispensing apparatus is disabled for beverage dispensing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein opening a valve comprises opening an electronic control valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein opening the electronic control valve comprises actuating a strike and hold valve that opens in response to a minimum specified current and remains open as long as a second current is maintained, the second current being less than the minimum specified current.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the activation data has been received during a valid period, the valid period being a period during which activation data are considered valid, wherein opening a valve comprises actuating the valve in response to;

receipt of the authorization data,

the determination that the activation data are associated with a user identifier for a user, and

the determination that the activation data has been received during the valid period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the activation data has been received during a valid period comprises:

receiving a schedule of one or more valid periods; and

determining that the time at which the activation data was received was during a valid period according to the schedule of one or more valid periods.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a schedule of one or more valid periods comprises receiving an event schedule for an event venue, each event in the event schedule having a start time representing a start of the valid period for the event and a stop time representing an end of the valid period for the event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the stop time for the event is a time prior to the end of the event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the stop time is a time at which a specified event Occurs.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving stop time data from a game clock for a game, the stop time data specifying that the game progression has reached a time at which beverage dispensing is restricted.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving configuration data that specifies dispensing rules for a location at which the beverage dispensing node is located; and

controlling beverage dispensing according to the dispensing rules for the location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

receiving configuration data comprises receiving data specifying a per-person dispensing limit, and

controlling beverage dispensing comprises closing the valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser in response to the per-person dispensing limit being met.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking an amount of fluid that has been dispensed by the beverage dispenser; and

providing reporting data specifying the amount of fluid that has been dispensed by the beverage dispenser.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing reporting data comprises providing the reporting data according to a reporting schedule, in response to a request for the reporting data, or in response to a change in the amount of fluid dispensed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring system diagnostics for a system in which the beverage dispensing node is installed; and

providing diagnostic data specifying the system diagnostics.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing diagnostic data comprises providing data specifying at least one of a flow meter operating condition, a measure of available memory, a valve status, a beverage temperature, a beverage dispenser status, a fluid pressure, and a beverage container status.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the diagnostic data comprises providing the diagnostic data by at least one of e-mail and text message.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the authorization data comprises receiving the authorization data from a user device that is registered on a different local area network than the data processing apparatus.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the authorization data comprises receiving the authorization data from a mobile device communicating over a mobile communications network.

22. A system comprising:

a user device; and

a beverage dispensing apparatus configured to interact with the user device and perform operations comprising;

receiving authorization data specifying that the beverage dispensing apparatus is authorized to be activated;

receiving activation data that requests activation of the node, wherein activation of the node causes a valve that controls flow of fluid to a beverage dispenser to be opened;

determining that the activation data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, the enabled user being a user that has been enabled to activate the node; and

in response to receipt of the authorization data and the activation data, opening a valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the beverage dispensing apparatus include an electronic control valve that is opened in response to receipt of the authorization data and the activation data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic control valve is a strike and hold valve that opens in response to a strike current and remains open as long as a hold current is maintained, the hold current having a lower magnitude than the strike current.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the beverage dispensing apparatus includes a flow meter that measures a flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the beverage dispensing apparatus includes a thin client that interacts with one or more data processing devices over a distributed network.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the beverage dispensing apparatus includes a controller that generates one or more control signals with which the valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser is controlled.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the beverage dispensing apparatus includes a control interface with which the activation data are received.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the control interface is an RFID interface that detects an RFID card on which activation data are stored.

30. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving data specifying that an activated beverage dispensing apparatus be de-activated;

determining that the received data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, the enabled user being a user that has been enabled to de-activate the beverage dispensing apparatus; and

in response to receipt of the data, closing a valve that controls flow of fluid through the beverage dispensing apparatus.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein receiving data comprises receiving de-authorization data specifying that the beverage dispensing apparatus is no longer authorized to be activated.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein receiving data comprises receiving de-activation data specifying that the beverage dispensing apparatus is disabled for beverage dispensing.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein receiving data comprises receiving, from a mobile communications device communicating over a mobile communications network, data specifying that an activated beverage dispensing apparatus be de-activated.

34. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving authorization data specifying that a beverage dispensing node is authorized to be activated;

receiving activation data that requests activation of the node, wherein activation of the node causes a valve that controls flow of fluid to a beverage dispenser to be opened;

determining that the activation data are associated with a user identifier for an enabled user, the enabled user being a user that has been enabled to activate the node; and

in response to receipt of the authorization data and the activation data, opening a valve that controls flow of fluid to the beverage dispenser.