Beverage dispensing system and method

• US 7,611,052 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lorenzo Bencista, Riccardo Gosi, Richard David Nelson, Shokit Reeial Ali, Stuart Thomas Anderson
• Original Assignee: Lorenzo Bencista, Riccardo Gosi, Richard David Nelson, Shokit Reeial Ali, Stuart Thomas Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Stuart Thomas, Nelson, Richard David, Bencista, Lorenzo, Ali, Shokit Reeial, Gosi, Riccardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Application Number:
  US11/444,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070272742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/378, 235/383, 705/15, 222/2, 222/129.1
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system includes serving spouts in fluid connection with inlet pipes locatable within beverage receptacles. The serving spouts have receptacle identifiers and are associated with prices/price groups or points/points groups. Product data sets in computer memory include a product identifier and have associated receptacle identifiers and prices or points. A reading device calculates value from a stored value device. Stored value device data sets in computer memory include stored value device identifiers and stored values. A user selection component obtains a serving spout selection, and dispenses a volume of beverage from the selected serving spout by comparing the prices or points associated with the selected serving spout and the stored value. User data sets and transaction data sets in computer memory include user identifiers, stored value device identifiers, stored value device identifiers, and receptacle identifiers.

Claims

1. A beverage dispensing system comprising:

a kiosk including;

a plurality of serving spouts in fluid connection with respective inlet pipes, the inlet pipes locatable within respective beverage receptacles, the serving spouts having respective receptacle identifiers and associated with respective prices/price groups or points/points groups; and

a card reading device configured to read a stored value device shaped as a portable card with a portable memory storing a stored monetary or points value associated with a beverage, and to calculate a current monetary or points value at least partly from the stored monetary or points value associated with the beverage in the portable memory on the stored value device, the stored value device having a stored value device identifier;

a plurality of product data sets maintained in computer memory, the product data sets including a product identifier and having associated respective receptacle identifiers and price(s) or points;

a plurality of stored value device data sets maintained in computer memory, the stored value device data sets including respective stored value device identifiers and respective stored values, including at least the monetary or points value associated with at least the beverage obtained from the portable memory of the portable card;

a user selection component configured to obtain from a user a serving spout selection and to dispense a volume of beverage from the selected serving spout based on a comparison between the price(s) or points associated with the selected serving spout and the stored value;

a plurality of user data sets maintained in computer memory, the user data sets including respective user identifiers corresponding to at least one portable card and stored value device identifiers associated with the at least one monetary or points value of the at least one beverage; and

a plurality of transaction data sets maintained in computer memory, the transaction data sets including respective stored value device identifiers and receptacle identifiers.

2. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user selection component is configured to obtain from a user a volume selection and to dispense the selected volume of beverage from the selected serving spout based on a comparison between the price or points associated with the selected volume from the selected serving spout and the calculated monetary or points value.

3. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 2, configured to enable a user profile to be maintained in computer memory of user product preferences, wherein:

at least some of the user data sets are associated with at least some of the transaction data sets through respective common stored value device identifiers; and

at least some of the transaction data sets are associated with at least some of the product data sets through respective common receptacle identifiers.

4. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the user selection component deducts the price(s) or points from the stored value.

5. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the user selection component adds the price(s) or points to the stored value up to a predetermined credit limit.

6. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the user is a customer, the user data sets stored in a customer table.

7. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the user is a staff member, the user data sets stored in a staff table.

8. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 2 configured to enable a table account to be maintained in computer memory, wherein:

at least some of the user data sets are associated with at least some of the transaction data sets through respective common stored value device identifiers;

at least some of the stored value device data sets are associated with respective table identifiers; and

at least some of the transaction data sets are associated with at least some of the product data sets through respective common receptacle identifiers.

9. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the user selection component adds the price(s) or points to the stored value up to a predetermined credit limit.

10. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, configured to enable a user profile to be maintained in computer memory of user product preferences, wherein:

at least some of the user data sets are associated with at least some of the transaction data sets through respective common stored value device identifiers; and

at least some of the transaction data sets are associated with at least some of the product data sets through respective common receptacle identifiers.

11. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the user selection component deducts the price(s) or points from the stored value.

12. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the user selection component adds the price(s) or points to the stored value up to a predetermined credit limit.

13. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the user is a customer, the user data sets stored in a customer table.

14. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the user is a staff member, the user data sets stored in a staff table.

15. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 configured to enable a table account to be maintained in computer memory, wherein:

at least some of the user data sets are associated with at least some of the transaction data sets through respective common stored value device identifiers;

at least some of the stored value device data sets are associated with respective table identifiers; and

at least some of the transaction data sets are associated with at least some of the product data sets through respective common receptacle identifiers.

16. A beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the user selection component adds the price(s) or points to the stored value up to a predetermined credit limit.

17. A method of dispensing beverages from a plurality of serving spouts in fluid connection with respective inlet pipes, the inlet pipes locatable within respective beverage receptacles, the serving spout having respective receptacle identifiers and associated with respective prices/price groups or points/points groups, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a kiosk with the plurality of serving spouts and a card reading device;

maintaining a plurality of product data sets in computer memory, the product data sets including a product identifier and having associated respective receptacle identifiers and price(s) or points;

obtaining, through reading a stored value device shaped as a portable card using the card reading device at the kiosk, a current monetary or points value associated with a beverage at least partly from the stored value device shaped as the portable card with a portable memory having the stored monetary or points value associated with the beverage, the stored value device having a stored value device identifier corresponding to the monetary or points value associated with the beverage;

maintaining a plurality of stored value device data sets in computer memory, the stored value device data sets including respective stored value device identifiers and respective stored values, including at least the monetary or points value associated with at least the beverage obtained from the portable memory of the portable card;

obtaining from a user a serving spout selection;

dispensing a volume of beverage from the selected serving spout based on a comparison between the price(s) or points associated with the selected serving spout and the stored value;

maintaining a plurality of user data sets in computer memory, the user data sets including respective user identifiers corresponding to at least one portable card, and stored value device identifiers associated with the at least one monetary or points value of the at least one beverage; and

maintaining a plurality of transaction data sets in computer memory, the transaction data sets including respective stored value device identifiers and receptacle identifiers.