Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the dispense of a plurality of product forming ingredients

• US 8,463,447 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• 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, Phillips, Paul Anderson
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/204,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 700/3, 700/9, 700/20, 700/236, 700/239, 700/241, 700/242, 700/244, 700/283, 222/1, 222/23, 222/52, 222/56, 222/59, 222/66, 222/71, 222/129.4
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0041 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 1/1202 Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1234 to determine the total amount
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1236 comprising means for detecting the size of vessels to be filled

Abstract

Systems and methods for dispensing a product are provided. A plurality of product ingredients are associated with a product dispenser that is operable to form a plurality of selectable products from the plurality of products ingredients. Input for a selected product is received and a recipe that defines the ratio of product ingredients for forming the selected product is identified. The dispense of each of the respective product ingredients is commenced based at least in part on the identified recipe, and the dispense of each of the respective product ingredients is independently monitored during the dispense of the selected product.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of product ingredients with a product dispenser, wherein a plurality of selectable products may be formed from the plurality of product ingredients;

receiving input comprising a selected product for dispense;

identifying a recipe for the selected product, wherein the recipe defines a ratio of the plurality of product ingredients for forming the selected product;

identifying, based at least in part on the recipe, a respective expected flow rate for each of the plurality of product ingredients;

commencing a dispense of each of the respective plurality of product ingredients based at least in part on the identified recipe;

independently monitoring, during the dispense, a respective actual flow rate for each of the plurality of product ingredients;

determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for at least one of the plurality of product ingredients and the expected flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients;

determining a total accumulated volume of the selected product that has been dispensed during the dispense; and

adjusting, based at least in part upon the determined difference and the total accumulated volume, the flow of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients to achieve a flow rate other than the expected flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients and the monitored flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving input for a cup size associated with the selected product, and

wherein commencing a dispense of each of the respective plurality of product ingredients is further based at least in part on the received input for the cup size.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a respective actual flow rate associated with each of the plurality of product ingredients comprises monitoring a respective actual flow rate for a predetermined period of time, and

wherein determining a difference between a monitored flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients and an expected flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients comprises determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for the predetermined period of time and an expected flow rate for the predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on monitoring the dispense of the plurality of product ingredients, that one of the plurality of product ingredients is not being dispensed properly.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining that one of the plurality of product ingredients is not being dispensed properly is based at least in part on a comparison of the monitored actual flow rate associated with the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients to at least one threshold flow rate value associated with the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

implementing a control action based at least in part on determining that one of the plurality of product ingredients is not being dispensed properly.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein implementing a control action comprises at least one of limiting the dispense of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients, ceasing the dispense of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients, outputting an error message, or communicating an error message to a remote device via a network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more previous adjustments to the flow of the associated product ingredient,

wherein adjusting the flow of the associated product ingredient comprises adjusting the flow based at least in part on the one or more previous adjustments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a total accumulated volume of the selected product that has been dispensed comprises determining a total accumulated volume that has been dispensed during a continuous dispense of the selected product, and

wherein adjusting the flow of the associated product ingredient comprises adjusting the flow during the continuous dispense.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein independently monitoring an actual flow rate for each of the at least some of the plurality of product ingredients comprises independently monitoring an actual flow rate for at least three product ingredients defined by the recipe.

11. A method for dispensing a product ingredient, the method comprising:

receiving input comprising a selection of a product for dispense, wherein the product ingredient is a component of the selected product;

identifying a recipe for the selected product, wherein the recipe defines a ratio of the product ingredient relative to one or more other product ingredients forming the selected product;

identifying, based at least in part on the recipe, an expected flow rate for the product ingredient;

commencing a dispense of the product ingredient based at least in part on the identified recipe; and

monitoring, during the dispense of the product ingredient, an actual flow rate for the product ingredient;

determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for the product ingredient and the expected flow rate for the product ingredient;

determining a total accumulated volume of the selected product that has been dispensed during the dispense; and

adjusting, based at least in part upon the determined difference and the total accumulated volume, the flow of the product ingredient to achieve a flow rate other than the expected flow rate for the product ingredient and the monitored flow rate for the product ingredient.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving input further comprises receiving a cup size indication for the dispense, and

wherein commencing a dispense of the product ingredient further comprises commencing a dispense of the product ingredient based at least in part on the received cup size indication.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring an actual flow rate associated with the product ingredient comprises determining an actual flow rate for the product ingredient for a predetermined period of time, and

wherein determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for the product ingredient and the expected flow rate for the product ingredient comprises determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for the product ingredient for the predetermined period of time and an expected flow rate for the product ingredient for the predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring an actual flow rate of the product ingredient comprises determining an amount of the product ingredient that is dispensed in a predetermined period of time, and

wherein determining a difference between the monitored flow rate for the product ingredient and the expected flow rate for the product ingredient comprises determining a difference between the determined amount of the product ingredient and an expected amount for the product ingredient for the predetermined period of time.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on monitoring the dispense of the product ingredient, that the product ingredient is not being dispensed properly.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining that the product ingredient is not being dispensed properly is based at least in part on a comparison of the monitored actual flow rate associated with the product ingredient to at least one threshold flow rate value associated with the product ingredient.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

implementing a control action based at least in part on determining that the product ingredient is not being dispensed properly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein implementing a control action comprises at least one of limiting the dispenses of the product ingredient, ceasing the dispense of the product ingredient, displaying an error message associated with the dispense of the product ingredient, or communicating an error message associated with the dispense of the product ingredient to a remote device via a network.

19. A dispenser apparatus, comprising:

an ingredient matrix operable to receive a plurality of product ingredients within respective locations, wherein a plurality of selectable products may be formed from at least some of the plurality of product ingredients;

an input device operable to receive a product selection; and

a controller to execute a set of instructions operable to;

receive the product selection;

identify a recipe for the selected product, wherein the recipe defines a ratio of at least some of the plurality of product ingredients to form the selected product;

identify, based at least in part on the recipe, a respective expected flow rate for each of the at least some of the plurality of product ingredients;

direct a dispense of each of the respective at least some of the plurality of product ingredients based at least in part on the identified recipe;

independently monitor, during the dispense, a respective actual flow rate of each of the at least some of the plurality of product ingredients;

determine a difference between the monitored flow rate for at least one of the plurality of product ingredients and the expected flow rate for the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients;

determine a total accumulated volume of the selected product that has been dispensed; and

adjust, based at least in part upon the determined difference and the total accumulated volume, the flow of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients to achieve a flow rate other than the expected flow rate of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients and the monitored flow rate of the at least one of the plurality of product ingredients.

20. A dispenser apparatus, comprising:

an ingredient matrix operable to receive a plurality of product ingredients within respective locations, wherein a plurality of selectable products may be formed from at least some of the plurality of product ingredients;

an input device operable to receive a product selection;

a controller to execute a set of instructions operable to;

receive the product selection;

identify a recipe for the selected product, wherein the recipe defines a ratio of the at least some of the plurality of product ingredients to form the selected product; and

direct a dispense of each of the respective at least some of the plurality of product ingredients based at least in part on the identified recipe; and

one or more control nodes associated with each of the at least some of the plurality of product ingredients, wherein at least one of the one or more control nodes executes a set of instructions operable to;

receive, from the controller, a dispense direction and at least one associated expected flow rate that is based at least in part on the identified recipe;

commence the dispense of an associated product ingredient based at least in part on the at least one associated expected flow rate;

monitor, during the dispense, an actual flow rate of the associated product ingredient;

determine a difference between the monitored flow rate and the expected flow rate; and

adjust, based at least in part upon the determined difference and a total accumulated volume of the selected product that has been dispensed during the dispense, the flow of the associated product ingredient to achieve a flow rate other than the expected flow rate and the monitored flow rate.

21. The dispenser apparatus of claim 20, wherein the input device is further operable to receive input for a cup size associated with the selected product, and

wherein the controller is further operable to direct the dispense of each of the respective at least some of plurality of product ingredients based at least in part on the received input for the cup size.

22. The dispenser apparatus of claim 20, wherein the expected flow rate comprises an expected flow rate for a predetermined period of time, and

wherein the monitored actual flow rate comprises an actual flow rate for the predetermined period of time.

23. The dispenser apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one control node is further operable to:

determine, based at least in part on comparing the monitored flow rate associated with the monitored product ingredient to a least one threshold flow rate value associated with the associated product ingredient, that the product ingredient is not being dispensed properly; and

implement a control action based at least in part on the determination that the associated product ingredient is not being dispensed properly.

24. The dispenser apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control action comprises at least one of limiting the dispense of the associated product ingredient, ceasing the dispense of the associated product ingredient, directing the output of an error indication, or directing, via a network, the communication of an error message to the controller or to a remote device.