Beverage dispenser including an improved electronic control system

• US 7,813,834 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Chadwell, Thomas J., Sudolcan, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler; Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US10/460,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 700/242, 700/241, 700/236, 700/237
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00091 Bar management means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A beverage dispenser includes an electronic control system for controlling beverage dispenser components. The beverage dispenser components include at least a user interface, a dispensing valve, and a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system includes a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system further includes a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture for controlling the microcontroller. The state machine system architecture supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system. The firmware includes supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware.

Claims

1. A method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser, comprising:

providing beverage dispenser components, comprising at least;

a user interface adapted to receive a beverage dispense request,

a dispensing valve, and

a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;

providing an electronic control system, comprising;

a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve, and

a program memory including low level drivers firmware for controlling the microcontroller; and

modifying the low level drivers firmware to interface the microcontroller with the beverage dispenser components.

2. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

substituting one beverage dispenser component for another similar beverage dispenser component; and

modifying the low level drivers firmware to interface the microcontroller with the substituted beverage dispenser component.

3. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

substituting one valve interface for another different valve interface; and

modifying the low level drivers firmware to interface the microcontroller with the substituted valve interface.

4. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising substituting components of the valve interface, thereby changing the dispense ratio through physical means.

5. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

substituting electronic control system hardware for existing electronic control system hardware; and

modifying the low level drivers firmware to interface the substituted electronic control system hardware.

6. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the program memory further includes supervisory control firmware and dispenser tasks firmware comprising at least one dispenser tasks firmware state machine.

7. The method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser according to claim 6, further comprising:

removing a beverage dispenser component;

modifying the low level drivers firmware whereby the microcontroller does not interface with the removed beverage dispenser component;

removing a dispenser tasks firmware state machine for the removed beverage dispenser component; and

modifying the supervisory control firmware whereby the supervisory control firmware does not call the removed dispenser tasks firmware state machine.