Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser
DCFirst Claim
1. An appliance comprising:
- a housing;
a dispenser supported by the housing;
a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser;
a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers;
a user interface panel supported by the housing; and
a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to;
(a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism,(b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images,(c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and(d) track, for each drink supply container held by the drink supply, mechanism, a volume of the drink supply dispensed by the dispenser from said drink supply container.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
377 Citations
61 Claims
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1. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) track, for each drink supply container held by the drink supply, mechanism, a volume of the drink supply dispensed by the dispenser from said drink supply container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 45, 46)
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29. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removeably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to mix, at a pre-determined level, the drink supply from the drink supply container associated with the selected image and water from the water supply mechanism to dispense the beverage associated with the selected image, (d) track, for each of the drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, a volume of the drink supply dispensed by the dispenser from said drink supply container, (e) enable the user to input information regarding a change of one of the drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, and (f) after one of the drink supply container held by the drink supply mechanism is replaced by a different drink supply container which holds a different drink supply, cause the user interface panel to display a different image associated with a different beverage which corresponds to the different drink supply in the different drink supply container held by the drink supply mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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47. An refrigerator appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
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48. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a CO2 supply mechanism supported by the housing, connected to the water supply mechanism, and configured to hold at least one removable CO2 supply container; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) track a volume of CO2 dispensed from each CO2 supply container held by the CO2 supply mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) automatically cause an order repair message to be sent to a location remote from the appliance.
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51. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) cause an indication to the user that one of the drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism needs to be replaced.
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52. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) operate with the user interface panel to enable the user to register as a registered user of the appliance.
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53. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) operate with the user interface panel to enable the user to order additional drink supply containers.
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54. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) operate with the user interface panel to enable the user to input information regarding a change of one of the drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism.
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55. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) operate with the user interface panel to receive an authorization code for a drink supply container.
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56. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, and (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image; and a bar code reader supported by the housing and connected to the computer, said bar code reader configured to read a bar code on a drink supply container.
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57. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) after one of the drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism is replaced by a different drink supply container which holds a different drink supply, cause the user interface panel to display a different image associated with a different beverage which corresponds to the different drink supply in the different drink supply container held by the drink supply mechanism.
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58. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, and (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
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59. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, the user interface panel, the water supply mechanism, and the drink supply mechanism, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, and (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
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60. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different, beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) communicate through one of;
a telephone line communication channel, a cable line communication channel, and a wireless communication channel.
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61. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a dispenser supported by the housing; a water supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser; a drink supply mechanism supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers; a user interface panel supported by the housing; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to; (a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, (b) enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image, and (d) communicate through the internet.
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Specification