Container-less custom beverage vending invention

• US 8,442,674 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MYX Drinks LLC
• Original Assignee: Ecowell Co.
• Inventors: Tilton, Donald Edward, Wheeler, Cameron Todd, Boler, Brian Lee, Whitaker, Andrew Craig, Schilperoort, Reid Andrew, David, Preston Fitzjarrell
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/021,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 700/233, 700/231, 700/232, 700/236, 700/237, 700/239
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4403 Constructional details
• 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 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0857 Cooling arrangements cooling systems per se F25B
• 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 1/0895 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/075 Sanitising or sterilising the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0001 for liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00013 Sterilising means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00015 UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus describing a convenience beverage vending machine and its operation are described. An embedded computer interface allows consumers to create their own drinks or choose from a menu of drinks. Drinks are dispensed in a re-usable container. The beverages may be made from hot water, cold water or carbonated water that is mixed with various flavors of syrup, sweeteners and nutritional supplements. Identification may be presented and the computer recognizes the consumer and pulls up that consumer'"'"'s account to determine funds available and previous drink selections and mixtures. The machine may incorporate an automatic cleaning cycle for both the valves and the dispense area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of a container-less custom beverage vending system having a program stored in memory and executable by one or more processors;

receiving an identification of a user;

requesting attributes of the user;

receiving the attributes of the user; and

displaying a personalized beverage menu on a user interface based on the received attributes, wherein the displayed personalized beverage menu enables a user to create and name a customized beverage recipe;

wherein after confirming a final composition of the customized beverage recipe, the display presents a user with an option to share their custom beverage with specific other users whom they have designated;

wherein the beverage names and/or recipes are shared with other users through a database which stores the name and/or recipe and is only accessible to the designated other users;

wherein the container-less custom beverage vending system enables users to select shared custom beverages to be vended by the system by accessing the stored names and/or recipes in the database and displaying the shared custom beverage on the personalized beverage menu so that the user may select the name of a shared custom beverage submitted by another user, and likewise another user may select on their own personalized beverage menu a shared custom beverage submitted by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested attributes of the user comprise a beverage history, beverage preferences, and beverage names.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed personalized beverage menu further displays a beverage history, drink recommendations, favorite beverages, and recently vended beverages based on the received attributes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the program receives the identification of the user from an authentication device, a user name, a user password, a magnetic stripe card, or a smart card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the program requests the attributes of the user from an authentication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authentication device is a near field radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to read an RFID tag comprising the attributes of the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the authentication device is configured to communicate with a mobile phone comprising the attributes of the user or a digital audio player comprising the attributes of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the program requests the attributes of the user from a central database storing the attributes of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the program requests the attributes of the user from a web site comprising the attributes of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, displaying a personalized advertisement on the user interface based on the received attributes.

11. A container-less custom beverage vending system comprising:

a plurality of reservoirs holding separate ingredients to be used in beverage recipes;

a mixing manifold interconnected with the plurality of reservoirs;

a processor to control the mixing manifold to mix any combination of the plurality of separate ingredients;

a user interface to display a personalized beverage menu which includes a beverage creation menu to a user, the beverage creation menu configured to receive mixing instructions from the user to mix a beverage recipe, wherein the displayed personalized beverage menu enables a user to create and name a customized beverage recipe;

wherein after confirming a final composition of the customized beverage recipe, the display presents a user with an option to share their custom beverage with specific other users whom they have designated;

wherein the beverage names and/or recipes are shared with other users through a database which stores the name and/or recipe and is only accessible to the designated other users;

wherein the container-less custom beverage vending system enables users to select shared custom beverages to be vended by the system by accessing the stored names and/or recipes in the database and displaying the shared custom beverage on the personalized beverage menu so that the user may select the name of a shared custom beverage submitted by another user, and likewise another user may select on their own personalized beverage menu a shared custom beverage submitted by the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface is a touch screen display.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the beverage recipe received by the user is a custom beverage recipe.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the beverage creation menu comprises:

a volume selection;

a popular size selection;

a popular bottle selection;

a temperature selection; and

a carbonation selection.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the beverage creation menu comprises:

an add a flavor option;

a flavor volume option;

a flavor strength option;

a flavor strength indicator; and

a proportion of flavors indicator.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the beverage creation menu comprises:

an add a sweetener option;

a sweetener type option;

a sweetener strength option; and

a sweetener strength indicator.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the beverage creation menu comprises:

an add a supplement option;

a supplement volume option; and

a supplement volume indicator.