Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser
First 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, said user interface panel including a touch screen; and
a computer supported by the housing and connected to the user interface panel and at least one of;
the dispenser, 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 drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers removably held by the drink supply mechanism, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate,(b) receive, via the touch screen of the user interface panel, an input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images,(c) after receiving the input of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images,(d) receive a drink supply code for another drink supply container to be held in the drink supply mechanism,(e) determine if said received drink supply code is valid by comparing said received drink supply code to one or more drink supply authorization codes associated with one or more authorized drink supply containers for the appliance, and(f) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispenser to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said other drink supply container.
1 Assignment
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.
378 Citations
27 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, said user interface panel including a touch screen; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the user interface panel and at least one of;
the dispenser, 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 drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers removably held by the drink supply mechanism, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate, (b) receive, via the touch screen of the user interface panel, an input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (d) receive a drink supply code for another drink supply container to be held in the drink supply mechanism, (e) determine if said received drink supply code is valid by comparing said received drink supply code to one or more drink supply authorization codes associated with one or more authorized drink supply containers for the appliance, and (f) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispenser to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said other drink supply container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. 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, said user interface panel including a touch screen; and a computer supported by the housing and connected to the user interface panel and at least one of;
the dispenser, 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 drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers removably held by the drink supply mechanism, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate, (b) receive, via the touch screen of the user interface panel, an input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images, (c) after receiving the input of the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (d) receive a drink supply code for another drink supply container to be held in the drink supply mechanism, (e) determine if said received drink supply code is valid, and (f) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispenser to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said other drink supply container. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification