Systems and methods for providing portion control programming in a product forming dispenser

• US 8,306,655 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Newman, David Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/204,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/233, 700/236, 700/239, 700/240
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0037 based on volumetric dosing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0041 Fully automated cocktail bars, i.e. apparatuses combining the use of packaged beverages, pre-mix and post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0878 Safety, warning or controlling devices B67D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0882 Devices for controlling the dispensing conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1293 Means for changing the ratio by acting on commands
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0827 Bags in box
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for configuring portion control for a dispenser apparatus. A plurality of beverage ingredients may be associated with the dispenser apparatus, and a plurality of selectable beverages may be formed from the plurality of beverage ingredients. Input for one or more preferences associated with portion control may be received. Stored information associated with at least one of the plurality of selectable beverages may be accessed. At least one portion control for at least one of the plurality of selectable beverages may be determined based at least in part on at least a portion of the received input and at least a portion of the accessed information.

Claims

1. A method for configuring portion control dispenses for a dispenser apparatus, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of beverage forming ingredients with the dispenser apparatus, wherein a plurality of selectable beverages may be formed from the plurality of beverage forming ingredients;

receiving, by the dispenser apparatus, input comprising one or more preferences associated with portion control dispenses, the one or more preferences comprising preferences associated with automatic top-offs to be performed for beverages having particular foaming characteristics;

accessing, by the dispenser apparatus, stored information associated with one or more of the selectable beverages, the stored information comprising at least one foaming characteristic for the one or more selectable beverages; and

determining, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part upon the received input and the accessed information, at least one portion control dispense parameter for the dispense of predetermined amounts of the one or more selectable beverages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input comprising one or more preferences associated with automatic top-offs comprises receiving input comprising at least one of (i) a number of top-offs to be performed or (ii) a time delay associated with automatic top-offs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one portion control dispense parameter comprises:

identifying a foaming characteristic for a beverage;

determining, based upon the identified foaming characteristic and the received input, a number of automatic top-offs to be performed for the beverage; and

calculating, based at least in part upon the determined number of automatic top-offs, one or more predetermined amounts of the beverage to be dispensed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input further comprises receiving input comprising one or more preferences associated with ice to be situated in a cup prior to dispensing one or more of the plurality of selectable beverages, and further comprising:

determining, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part on the one or more preferences associated with ice, an approximate displacement of the ice; and

determining, by the dispenser apparatus, the at least one portion control dispense parameter based at least in part on the determined approximate displacement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more preferences associated with ice comprise at least one of an amount of ice that is situated in the cup, a type of ice that is situated in the cup, or a correction factor for dispense.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more preferences associated with ice comprise a ratio of ice to a size of the cup.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input further comprises receiving input comprising one or more preferences associated with a plurality of cup sizes, and

wherein determining at least one portion control dispense parameter comprises determining at least one respective portion control dispense parameter for each of the plurality of cup sizes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing stored information further comprises accessing stored information associated with respective ingredients for the one or more selectable beverages.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part on the accessed information, one or more preferences associated with the received input that are relevant to the one or more selectable beverages.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one portion control dispense parameter comprises determining at least one respective portion control dispense parameter for each of a plurality of the selectable beverages.

11. A method for dispensing a portion control amount of a selected beverage, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of beverage forming ingredients with a dispenser apparatus, wherein a plurality of selectable beverages may be formed from the plurality of beverage forming ingredients;

receiving, by the dispenser apparatus, input comprising one or more preferences associated with portion control dispenses, the one or more preferences comprising preferences associated with automatic top-offs to be performed for beverages having particular foaming characteristics;

receiving, by the dispenser apparatus, a command to dispense a selected beverage;

accessing, by the dispenser apparatus, stored information associated with the selected beverage, the stored information comprising at least one foaming characteristic for the selected beverage; and

calculating, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part upon the received input and the accessed information, one or more predetermined amounts of the selected beverage to be dispensed in a portion control dispense; and

dispensing, by the dispenser apparatus, the calculated one or more predetermined amounts.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving input comprising one or more preferences associated with automatic top-offs comprises receiving input comprising at least one of (i) a number of top-offs to be performed or (ii) a time delay associated with automatic top-offs.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein calculating one or more predetermined amounts comprises:

identifying a foaming characteristic for the selected beverage;

determining, based upon the identified foaming characteristic and the received input, a number of automatic top-offs to be performed for the selected beverage; and

calculating, based at least in part upon the determined number of automatic top-offs, the one or more predetermined amounts of the beverage to be dispensed.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving input further comprises receiving input comprising one or more preferences associated with ice to be situated in a cup prior to dispensing one or more of the plurality of selectable beverages, and further comprising:

determining, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part on the one or more preferences associated with ice, an approximate displacement of the ice; and

calculating, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part on the determined approximate displacement, the one or more predetermined amounts of the selected beverage to be dispensed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more preferences associated with ice comprise at least one of an amount of ice that is situated in the cup, a type of ice that is situated in the cup, or a correction factor for dispense.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more preferences associated with ice comprise a ratio of ice to a size of the cup.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein accessing stored information further comprises accessing stored information associated with a recipe for the selected beverage, and further comprising:

determining, by the dispenser apparatus, a respective amount of each of the ingredients of the selected beverage to dispense based at least in part on the accessed recipe for the selected product.

18. A dispenser apparatus, comprising:

an ingredient matrix operable to receive a plurality of beverage product ingredient packages within respective locations, wherein a plurality of selectable beverages may be formed from the plurality of beverage product ingredients;

a memory device operable to store information associated with one or more of the plurality of selectable beverages;

an input device operable to receive one or more preferences associated with portion controls, the one or more preferences comprising preferences associated with automatic top-offs to be performed for beverages having particular foaming characteristics; and

a controller operable to execute a set of instructions operable to;

receive the one or more preferences from the input device;

access at least a portion of the stored information, the accessing information comprising at least one foaming characteristic for the one or more selectable beverages; and

determine, by the dispenser apparatus based at least in part upon the received input and the accessed information, at least one portion control dispense parameter for the dispense of predetermined amounts of the one or more selectable beverages.

19. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more preferences associated with automatic top-offs comprise at least one of (i) a number of top-offs to be performed or (ii) a time delay associated with automatic top-offs.

20. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine the at least one portion control dispense parameter by:

identifying a foaming characteristic for a beverage;

determining, based upon the identified foaming characteristic and the received input, a number of automatic top-offs to be performed for the beverage; and

calculating, based at least in part upon the determined number of automatic top-offs, one or more predetermined amounts of the beverage to be dispensed.

21. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the input device is further configured to receive one or more preferences associated with ice to be situated in a cup prior to dispensing one or more of the plurality of selectable beverages, and

wherein the controller is further operable to execute the set of instructions to:

determine, based at least in part on the one or more preferences associated with ice, an approximate displacement of the ice; and

determine the at least one portion control dispense parameter based at least in part on the determined approximate displacement.

22. The dispenser apparatus of claim 21, wherein the one or more preferences associated with ice comprise at least one of an amount of ice that is situated in the cup, a type of ice that is situated in the cup, or a correction factor for dispense.

23. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the input device is further configured to receive one or more preferences associated with a plurality of cup sizes, and

wherein the determined at least one portion control dispense parameter comprises at least one respective portion control dispense parameter for each of the plurality of cup sizes.

24. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the accessed information further comprises information associated with respective ingredients for the one or more selectable beverages.

25. The dispenser apparatus of claim 21, wherein the determined at least one portion control dispense parameter comprises at least one respective portion control dispense parameter for each of a plurality of the selectable beverages.