SINGLE-SERVE BEVERAGE PRODUCTION MACHINE

• US 20150257586A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Starbucks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Starbucks Corporation
• Inventors: Mack, Adam Mekeel, DiNucci, Darcy A., McQueen, Michael, Thain, Hamish S., Ko, Alexander Kwok Yin, Krakower, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/205,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20150257586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0647 with means to adjust the brewing chamber volume to accommodate different quantities of brewing material
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge

Abstract

A single-serve beverage preparation device including a multi-chambered basket unit having a first cartridge-receiving chamber and a second cartridge-receiving chamber is provided. The first cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a first cartridge of a first beverage type and the second cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a second cartridge of a second beverage type. The device includes a reader configured to read a code or tag associated with a single-serve beverage cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients. The device can include a controller configured to determine a beverage type of the single-serve beverage cartridge from the code or tag and to cause the multi-chambered basket unit to present the cartridge-receiving chamber corresponding to the determined beverage type in a position to receive a single-serve beverage cartridge.

Claims

1. A single-serve beverage preparation device comprising:

a multi-chambered basket unit comprising a first cartridge-receiving chamber and a second cartridge-receiving chamber,

wherein the first cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a first cartridge of a first beverage type and wherein the second cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a second cartridge of a second beverage type;

a two dimensional (2D) code reader configured to read a 2D code associated with a single-serve beverage cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients; and

a controller configured to determine a beverage type of the single-serve beverage cartridge from the 2D code and to cause the multi-chambered basket unit to present the cartridge-receiving chamber corresponding to the determined beverage type in a position to receive the single-serve beverage cartridge.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the multi-chambered basket unit is configured to present the cartridge-receiving chamber by rotating about an axle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first beverage type is a brewed coffee and wherein the second beverage type is an espresso coffee.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the 2D code is located on packaging of the single-serve beverage cartridge in which the single-serve beverage cartridge is contained.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the 2D code is located on a portion of the single-serve beverage cartridge.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the multi-chambered basket unit comprises a double-sided brew basket.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients comprise coffee grounds.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the 2D code reader comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes and a camera module.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a frother unit.

10. A device comprising:

a first cartridge-receiving chamber and a second cartridge-receiving chamber,

wherein the first cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a first cartridge of a first type and wherein the second cartridge-receiving chamber is configured to receive a second cartridge of a second type;

a machine readable code reader configured to read an machine readable code associated with an insertable cartridge containing one or more ingredients; and

a controller configured to determine a type of the insertable cartridge from the machine readable code,

wherein, if the controller determines from the machine readable code that the type of the insertable cartridge is a first type, the controller is configured to cause the first cartridge-receiving chamber to be presented to receive the insertable cartridge, and

wherein, if the controller determines from the machine readable code that the type of the insertable beverage cartridge is a second type, the controller is configured to cause the second cartridge-receiving chamber to be presented to receive the insertable cartridge.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the machine readable code comprises a bar code.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the first type of cartridge is a low pressure cartridge and wherein the second type of cartridge is a high pressure cartridge.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the machine readable code is located on packaging of the insertable cartridge that contains the insertable cartridge.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the machine readable code is located on a portion of the insertable cartridge.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the first cartridge-receiving chamber has a first size and wherein the second cartridge-receiving chamber has a second size, and wherein the second size is smaller than the first size.

16. A method of preparing beverages of a first beverage type and a second beverage type using a beverage preparation machine, the method comprising:

reading an information element associated with a first beverage cartridge of a first beverage type;

determining the first beverage type from the information element;

in response to determining the first beverage type from the information element code, causing a first cartridge-receiving chamber of a multi-chambered basket unit to be presented in a position to receive the first beverage cartridge of the first beverage type from a user of the beverage preparation machine;

preparing a first beverage using the first beverage cartridge;

reading an information element associated with a second beverage cartridge of a second beverage type;

determining the second beverage type from the information element;

in response to determining the second beverage type from the information element, causing a second cartridge-receiving chamber of a multi-chambered basket unit to be presented in a position to receive the second beverage cartridge of the second beverage type from the user; and

preparing a second beverage using the second beverage cartridge.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information element comprises at least one of a bar code, a radiofrequency identification tag or a near field communication tag.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the information element is a bar code that comprises at least one of a one dimensional bar code or a two dimensional bar code.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-chambered basket unit comprises a double-sided brew basket.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said determining the first beverage type from the bar code comprises accessing a look-up table based on an alphanumeric character determined from the bar code.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said causing a first cartridge-receiving chamber of a multi-chambered basket unit to be presented in a position to receive the first beverage cartridge of the first beverage type comprises rotating the multi-chambered basket unit about an axle.