Apparatus and method for brewed and espresso drink generation

• US 8,688,277 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Costa Express Limited
• Original Assignee: Briggo, Inc.
• Inventors: Studor, Charles F., Nater, J. Kevin, Hassoun, Marwan M
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sasaki, Shogo
• Application Number:
  US13/359,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20120156339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 992/75, 992/80, 992/99, 993/25, 993/37, 994/68, 994/86, 996/11, 996/32, 700/266, 700 28- 32
• US Class Current: 700/266
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/18 Extraction of water soluble tea constituents A23F3/166 takes precedence; isolation of tea flavour or tea oil A23F3/42
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/26 Extraction of water-soluble constituents A23F5/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/44 Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus filters or strainers A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4403 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/52 Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus ; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/521 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/525 the electronic control being based on monitoring of specific process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5251 of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5253 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/12 Condition responsive control

Abstract

An apparatus that generates brewed beverages by performing one or more chemical and/or mechanical processes may receive requests to produce specified brewed beverages. The apparatus may include a master controller that initiates and controls performance of the chemical and/or mechanical processes to produce the specified beverages. The master controller may adaptively apply one or more process accelerators during the performance of one of the chemical or mechanical processes to accelerate the process or to achieve a desired qualitative or quantitative characteristic for a beverage or a component thereof. The adaptive application of one or more process accelerators may be dependent on a multiple-variable process profile developed for the process and/or a specified beverage. For example, the pressure in a steam wand and/or the depth of the wand may be varied during a process to froth milk in order to produce frothed milk having a desired temperature.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an input mechanism that is configured to receive requests to produce brewed beverages;

a controller that is configured to control the performance of a plurality of chemical or mechanical processes, each of which contributes to the production of a brewed beverage or a component thereof, and to effect movement of a cup into which a brewed beverage is to be dispensed from a first position corresponding to a first location at which at least one of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes is performed to a second position corresponding to a second location at which at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes is performed;

wherein in response to receiving a request to produce a specified brewed beverage through the input mechanism, the controller is configured to effect the production of the specified brewed beverage, wherein producing the specified beverage comprises performing one or more of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes at the first location corresponding to the first cup position, moving the cup to the second position corresponding to the second location, and performing at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes at the second location; and

wherein in effecting the production of the specified brewed beverage, the controller is further configured to monitor one or more process parameters during the performance of one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and to effect an adaptive application of one or more process accelerators during the performance of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes based on the one or more monitored parameters, the controller being further configured to vary, during the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators, the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators over time and in accordance with a predetermined profile corresponding to the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and the one or more monitored parameters.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more process accelerators comprises one or more of:

pressure, ultrasonic energy, steam, temperature, or a position of a vessel containing the beverage or a component thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on a multiple-variable profile for the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes that maps a result of the process to values of a plurality of variables over time during performance of the process.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on temperature or pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on a volume of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a volume of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a qualitative characteristic of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, or a desired qualitative characteristic of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process, and wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on a measure of the fat content of a liquid being frothed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical comprises a frothing process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying the pressure in a steam wand that is inserted in a liquid during the frothing process.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pressure in the steam wand is increased as the depth of the steam wand with respect to the surface of the liquid increases and the pressure in the steam wand is decreased as the depth of the steam wand with respect to the surface of the liquid decreases.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying the depth of a steam wand in a liquid with respect to the surface of the liquid during the frothing process.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying one or more of:

the temperature of steam in a steam wand inserted in a liquid during the frothing process, the amount of time for which steam is applied to a liquid during the frothing process, or the position or angle of a steam wand inserted in a liquid during the frothing process.

11. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process;

wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying the position, angle, speed, or frequency at which a vessel containing a liquid being frothed comes in contact with a steam wand during the frothing process; and

wherein said varying is performed using one or more of;

steam, or an actuator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises activating one or more ultrasonic transducers, or varying the amount of time, the frequency, or the intensity at which ultrasonic energy is applied during performance of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises an extraction process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises accelerating the release of carbon dioxide from coffee grinds by applying one or more ultrasonic energy pulses during the extraction process.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises an extraction process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying the pressure of a gas in a brewing chamber during the extraction process.

15. A method, comprising:

performing by a computer;

receiving a request to produce a specified brewed beverage;

effecting the production of the specified brewed beverage, wherein producing the specified beverage comprises performing one or more chemical or mechanical processes at a first location corresponding to a first position of a cup into which the specified beverage is to be dispensed, effecting movement of the cup to a second position corresponding to a second location at which at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes is performed, and performing the at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes; and

effecting the presentation of the specified brewed beverage subsequent to completion of the production of the specified brewed beverage;

wherein effecting the production of the specified brewed beverage comprises monitoring one or more process parameters during the performance of one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and effecting an adaptive application of one or more process accelerators during the performance of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes based on the one or more monitored parameters, and wherein effecting the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators further comprises varying, during the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators, the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators over time and in accordance with a predetermined profile corresponding to the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and the one or more monitored parameters.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on one or more of:

temperature, pressure, a volume of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a volume of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a qualitative characteristic of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a desired qualitative characteristic of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, or a multiple-variable profile for the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes that maps a result of the process to values of a plurality of variables over time during performance of the process.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying one or more of:

the pressure in a steam wand that is inserted in a liquid during the frothing process, the depth of a steam wand in a liquid with respect to the surface of the liquid during the frothing process, or the position, angle, speed, or frequency at which a vessel containing a liquid being frothed comes in contact with a steam wand during the frothing process.

18. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that when executed on one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform:

receiving a request to produce a specified brewed beverage;

effecting the production of the specified brewed beverage, wherein producing the specified beverage comprises performing one or more chemical or mechanical processes at a first location corresponding to a first position of a cup into which the specified beverage is to be dispensed, effecting movement of the cup to a second position corresponding to a second location at which at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes is performed, and performing the at least one other of the plurality of chemical or mechanical processes; and

effecting the presentation of the specified brewed beverage subsequent to completion of the production of the specified brewed beverage;

wherein effecting the production of the specified brewed beverage comprises monitoring one or more process parameters during the performance of one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and effecting an adaptive application of one or more process accelerators during the performance of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes based on the one or more monitored parameters, and wherein effecting the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators further comprises varying, during the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators, the adaptive application of the one or more process accelerators over time and in accordance with a predetermined profile corresponding to the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes and the one or more monitored parameters.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the adaptive application of one or more process accelerators is dependent on one or more of:

temperature, pressure, a volume of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a volume of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a qualitative characteristic of an input ingredient of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, a desired qualitative characteristic of an output of the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes, or a multiple-variable profile for the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes that maps a result of the process to values of a plurality of variables over time during performance of the process.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one of the performed chemical or mechanical processes comprises a frothing process, and wherein adaptively applying one or more process accelerators comprises varying one or more of:

the pressure in a steam wand that is inserted in a liquid during the frothing process, the depth of a steam wand in a liquid with respect to the surface of the liquid during the frothing process, or the position, angle, speed, or frequency at which a vessel containing a liquid being frothed comes in contact with a steam wand during the frothing process.