Appliance supply distribution, dispensing and use system method

• US 6,799,085 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischetti, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/035,734
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 700/231, 700/236, 700/239, 62/36.4, 222/146.6
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output

Abstract

The present invention is an appliance supply distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing appliance supplies to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which facilitates dispensing or using one or more supplies from an appliance. The computerized system monitors the supply level(s) and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers additional supplies. In addition, the computerized system automatically detects dispensing, use or appliance problems and orders and arranges for repair service.

Claims

1. A refrigerator having a processor operable to communicate with an order processing system, said refrigerator comprising:

a housing;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member operable to support a plurality of containers, each of the containers containing a drink supply of a different flavor;

an apparatus connected to the housing, the apparatus operable to produce a plurality of different flavors of beverages, each of the beverages derived, at least in part, from one of the drink supplies;

a sensing device communicating information to said processor and determining an amount of drink supply dispensed by said apparatus;

an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for a supply of an amount of one or more of the drink supplies;

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of conditions associated with the containers, one of the conditions relating to an amount of the drink supply remaining in one of the containers and another one of the conditions relating to an amount of the drink supply remaining in another one of the containers, based upon the information communicated by said sensing device to said processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of one or more of the drink supplies;

(b) send data to the order processing system, said data associated with the user'"'"'s order, thereby causing said amount of said one or more drink supplies to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(c) acquire data related to an amount of the drink supply remaining in each of the containers;

(d) determine, for each of the containers, when the condition associated with said container is met;

(e) send data to the order processing system after one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the drink supply for one of the containers, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator; and

(f) send data to the order processing system after another one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the drink supply for another one of the containers, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator wherein said instructions permit the steps of send data for said one and said another containers to occur independent of one another.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable so as to enable the processor to be accessible over a home network.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes means for combining the drink supplies with the water.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, which includes a holder connected to the housing, said holder operable to hold at least one gas container.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the beverage includes a carbonated beverage.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein each of the conditions includes a factor selected from the group consisting of an expiration of a designated period of time and a depletion of a designated amount of the drink supply in one of the containers.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores different identification data associated with the different flavors of the drink supplies.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the memory device stores a plurality of instructions which are executable by the processor to enable the user to use the input device to:

(a) select a drink supply for the production of a beverage from a group of different flavors of drink supplies, and (b) cause the processor to send the data to the order processing system, said data including identification data associated with the selected drink supply.

9. A refrigerator having a processor operable to communicate with an order processing system, said refrigerator comprising:

a housing;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member operable to support a plurality of containers, each of the containers containing a drink supply of a different flavor;

an apparatus connected to the housing, the apparatus operable to produce a plurality of servings of different flavors of beverages over a plurality of time periods, each of the beverages derived, at least in part, from one of the drink supplies, wherein the production of each of the servings depletes a portion of one of the drink supplies, said portion flowing from one of the containers at a flow rate;

a sensing device communicating information to said processor and determining an amount of drink supply dispensed by said apparatus;

an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for a supply of an amount of one or more of the drink supplies;

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of conditions associated with the containers, one of the conditions relating to an amount of the drink supply remaining in one of the containers and another one of the conditions relating to an amount of the drink supply remaining in another one of the containers based upon the information communicated by said sensing device to said processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of one or more of the drink supplies;

(b) send data to the order processing system, said data associated with the user'"'"'s order, thereby causing said amount of said one or more drink supplies to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(c) determine how much of the drink supply is remaining in each of the containers based on the time periods and the flow rates;

(d) determine, for each of the containers, when the condition associated with said container is met;

(e) send data to the order processing system after one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the drink supply for one of the containers, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator; and

(f) send data to the order processing system after another one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the drink supply for another one of the containers, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator wherein said instructions permit the steps of send data for said one and said another containers to occur independent of one another.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the apparatus includes means for combining the drink supplies with water.

11. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the memory device stores different identification data associated with the different flavors of the drink supplies.

12. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the drink supply includes a liquid beverage syrup.

13. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein each of the conditions includes a factor selected from the group consisting of an expiration of a designated period of time and a depletion of a designated amount of the drink supply in one of the containers.

14. A refrigerator having a processor operable to communicate with an order processing system, said refrigerator comprising:

a housing;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member operable to support a plurality of containers, each of the containers containing a drink supply of a different flavor;

an apparatus connected to the housing, the apparatus operable to produce a plurality of servings of different flavors of beverages over a plurality of time periods, each of the beverages derived, at least in part, from one of the drink supplies, wherein the production of each of the servings depletes a portion of one of the drink supplies, said portion flowing from one of the containers at a given flow rate;

means for measuring said time periods;

an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for a supply of an amount of one or more of the drink supplies; and

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of one or more of the drink supplies;

(b) send data to the order processing system, said data associated with the user'"'"'s order, thereby causing said amount of said one or more drink supplies to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(c) determine how much of the drink supply is remaining in each of the containers based on the time periods and the given flow rates;

(d) determine, for each of the containers, when the drink supply in said container is depleted to a certain amount;

(e) send data to the order processing system after the drink supply in one of the containers is depleted to a certain amount, said data associated with an order for an amount of said drink supply, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator; and

(f) send data to the order processing system after the drink supply in another one of the containers is depleted to a certain amount, said data associated with an order for an amount of said drink supply, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator wherein said instructions permit the steps of send data for said one and said another containers to occur independent of one another.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable so as to enable the processor to be accessible over a home network.

16. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein each of the drink supplies includes a liquid beverage syrup.

17. A residential refrigerator having a processor operable to communicate with an order processing system, said residential refrigerator comprising:

a housing having a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment, the refrigeration compartment and the freezer compartment each having a plurality of shelves adapted to support a plurality of edible items;

a refrigeration compartment door connected to the housing;

a freezer compartment door connected to the housing;

a holder supported by the housing and operable to hold a plurality of drink supply containers, each of the drink supply containers containing a drink supply of a different flavor;

a holder supported by the housing and operable to hold at least one gas container which contains a gas supply;

a water line connected to the housing, the water line operable to distribute water;

an apparatus connected to the housing so as to receive the drink supplies from the drink supply containers, the water from the water line and the gas supply from the gas container, the apparatus operable to produce a plurality of servings of different flavors of carbonated beverages over a plurality of time periods, wherein the production of each of the servings depletes;

(a) a portion of one of the drink supplies, said portion flowing from one of the drink supply containers at a given flow rate; and

(b) a portion of the gas supply, said portion flowing from the gas container;

an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input at least one order;

means for measuring said time periods;

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of a supply selected from the group consisting of an amount of one of the drink supplies, an amount of a plurality of the drink supplies and an amount of the gas supply;

(b) send data to the order processing system, said data associated with the user'"'"'s order, thereby causing said amount of said supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(c) determine how much of the drink supply is remaining in each of the drink supply containers based on the time periods and the given flow rates;

(d) determine, for each of the drink supply containers, when the drink supply in said drink supply container is depleted to a certain amount;

(e) send data to the order processing system after the drink supply in one of the drink supply containers is depleted to a certain amount, said data associated with an order for an amount of said drink supply, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(f) send data to the order processing system after the drink supply in another one of the drink supply containers is depleted to a certain amount, said data associated with an order for an amount of said drink supply, thereby causing said amount of said drink supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator;

(g) determine how much of the gas supply is remaining in the gas container;

(h) determine when the gas supply in the gas supply container is depleted to a certain amount; and

(i) send data to the order processing system after the gas supply in the gas supply container is depleted to a certain amount, said data associated with an order for an amount of said gas supply, thereby causing said amount of said gas supply to be delivered to an address associated with the refrigerator wherein said instructions permit the steps of send data for said one and said another containers to occur independent of one another.